Campaign Donations Reach 387,891 Euros for Four Presidential Tickets in Bulgaria
Four presidential candidate tickets in Bulgaria have raised a combined total of 387,891.50 euros in campaign donations and candidate-provided funds, according to financial data released by the Audit Office. segabg.com reported that the initial disclosures, submitted ahead of the October 25 election, outline funds collected by individual contributors as well as personal resources supplied directly by candidates and committee members.
The campaign finance registry tracks financial transparency under the Electoral Code. Parties and independent committees faced a deadline of September 30 to submit their initial fundraising figures, declarations of origin, and information regarding advertising and sociological agencies, as manager.bg noted. Additional updates must be filed on a rolling seven-day basis throughout the remainder of the race, with final income and expense reports due by December 4, or December 11 in the event of a runoff, according to bTV Новините.
Independent Committees Lead Financial Disclosures
Monetary contributions from individual citizens total 201,000 euros across two independent candidate committees, according to data from manager.bg. The independent committee supporting Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev holds the largest share of public financial backing, collecting 163,600 euros from 19 separate donations, segabg.com reported. The single largest individual donation in the registry is 100,000 euros, provided by Kaloyan Danchev, who listed employment income as the source of the funds.
The committee supporting incumbent President Iliana Yotova and Kiril Valchev reported 37,400 euros collected through 48 individual donations, roughly half the total of its main rival, according to segabg.com. bTV Новините added that the largest individual contribution to Yotova’s campaign stands at 5,000 euros, provided by former Bulgarian Socialist Party lawmaker Petar Kanev, who is the sole member of her committee to contribute personal funds so far.
Gyurov’s funding network includes contributions from several lawmakers representing Democratic Bulgaria, a coalition supporting his candidacy. Dzhipo Dzhipov donated 10,000 euros; Ivaylo Mirchev and Bozhidar Bozhanov contributed 5,000 euros each; Alexander Simidchiev gave 2,000 euros; and Anna Bodakova, Svilena Trifonova, Alexandra Sterkova, Atanas Slavov, Dimitar Naydenov, and Elisaveta Belobradova each donated 1,000 euros, segabg.com reported.
Supporters of Gyurov have accused Yotova of utilizing the institutional resources of the presidency for her campaign, an allegation that officials at Dondukov 2 have denied, according to segabg.com.
Personal and Non-Monetary Candidate Contributions
Funds supplied directly by candidates and committee members account for 186,891.50 euros of the total declared pool, split between 16,893.50 euros in cash and 169,998 euros in non-monetary assets, manager.bg reported. These resources originate from two independent committees: one backing Rumiana Chenalova and Georgi Георгиев, and another supporting Ivan Hristov and Stoyanka Cherkezova.
Ivan Hristov, a former minister of agriculture in a caretaker cabinet, provided 15,000 euros in cash and 169,998 euros in non-monetary contributions to his own campaign, according to segabg.com. The registry lists the origin of these funds as pending due to the ongoing redaction of personal data in submitted declarations. Hristov’s promotion through billboards began in August, prompting complaints to the Central Election Commission, which ruled that the early displays did not violate regulations, segabg.com noted.
manager.bg reported that failure to properly submit mandatory initial financial data to the Single Registry under the Electoral Code carries administrative fines for representatives of political parties and initiative committees ranging from 1,533.88 до 5,112.92 евро.
Financial Disclosures and Reporting Deadlines
Frequently Asked Questions About the Presidential Campaign Financing
What is the total amount reported by the Audit Office for the presidential race?
The Audit Office recorded a total of 387,891.50 euros across four candidate tickets in initial disclosures submitted by September 30, according to manager.bg and bTV Новините.
When must campaigns submit their final financial reports?
Participants must submit their final revenue and expense reports to the Audit Office by December 4, 2026, or by December 11, 2026, if a runoff election takes place, as reported by bTV Новините.
How much state financing was allocated for the presidential election?
The state allocated 480,000 euros to fund the administration of the presidential vote scheduled for October 25, according to Dnes.bg.
Campaign participants must continue to submit updates on incoming funds every seven days until the conclusion of the electoral period, following which the Audit Office will perform compliance audits on the declared revenues and expenditures.
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